


Birds of Paradise

by yukiscorpio



Series: The City [2]
Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-31
Updated: 2014-01-31
Packaged: 2018-01-10 15:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1161482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yukiscorpio/pseuds/yukiscorpio
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What will Yukimura do now that his toy has expired?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birds of Paradise

**Author's Note:**

> This is a side story to The City, set after the events in the main story. It contains heavy spoilers to the main story right from the first sentence.
> 
> Originally published on LJ in April 2007.

Once in a while, Yanagi goes to the grave of Sanada Genichirou and lays flowers.

He doesn't know why he does it - at least not the laying of flowers part. He doesn't believe in life after death, and taking plant life that has been severed to leave beside gravestones, letting them rot in time, has always seemed like a complete mockery to him. But it is traditional to bring flowers and Yanagi Renji prefers to follow tradition.

He doubts Sanada likes flowers, though. He has seen Sanada a couple of times when the man was alive, although always from afar. He seemed to be the sort of men who had never bought, let alone received, floral gifts. That is not to say he was useless in the romance department, of course; he was married and seeing Yukimura at the same time. Although the relationship with Yukimura was initiated and controlled by the man, Yanagi isn't going to fault Sanada for that; when Yukimura wants something, Yukimura gets it.

And, Yanagi knows, this is why he comes to the cemetery. To think about who Sanada was, how he ended up where he is, and what to do from now on.

Looking back, Yanagi has a lot to thank Sanada for. Whether Sanada was aware of it or not, he was keeping Yukimura together by giving him that thrill of a game, which was what kept Yukimura somewhat anchored. If it had not been Sanada, Yukimura would have long been dead, with a bullet in his head because of boredom, of fear of age, of fear of death itself. Now, Yanagi understands Yukimura did not stray, but left, because he felt the madness taking over and didn't want Yanagi to witness it.

And so this leaves the question: where do they go from here?

His phone rings. Yanagi turns away from Sanada's grave and takes the call.

"What's Niou's favourite flower?"

"Strelitzia reginae," Yanagi answers, "Birds of paradise."

"I see. Would it be a good idea to send a bunch over?"

"I think Yagyuu would appreciate it."

"Good."

"And Seiichi."

"Yes?"

"Let's have French for dinner. I'll be back in about an hour."

"Okay. See you."

Yanagi pockets the phone. Yukimura should be looking for his restaurant guide right now. He will then call his choice and somehow convince them that they want to make a delivery to him and they will do it in less than an hour. And then he will visit the florist down the street and order flowers for Yagyuu, then go home and set out the table.

This is Yukimura's version of domesticity. For now, he is enjoying it. Yanagi thinks it's because it is all new to him, though when he mentioned it off-handedly in the past, Yukimura said it was because it made them happy. Yanagi doesn't know what to make of that explanation, or if he should even believe it at all.

Whatever the reason, it is keeping Yukimura on this side of sanity and Yanagi will do everything he can to make this last. Like Niou had once said, there are no birds in paradise because there is no paradise; when people die, they don't go anywhere apart from wherever their bodies end up.

One day, Yanagi will end up like Sanada, a pile of cold bones underneath the ground, and it is likely that he will be there because of Yukimura, whether by his own choice or not. Until then, Yanagi will do whatever it takes to make Yukimura happy. To make them happy.

Perhaps, after all, he should try believing in what Yukimura says.


End file.
